Police investigating shooting, car crash at Westfield Wheaton

A Montgomery County police cruiser is seen in this WTOP file photo. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)

Around 7 p.m., officers responded to the parking garage area outside of the Dick's Sporting Goods store for the report of a shooting, Montgomery County police said.

WASHINGTON — Before a vehicle crashed in front of a store at Westfield Wheaton, a man was shot and seriously wounded Wednesday night, police said.

Around 7 p.m., officers responded to the parking garage area outside of the Dick’s Sporting Goods store for the report of a shooting, Rick Goodale, public information officer with Montgomery County police, told WTOP. Officers found a man outside of a vehicle with a gunshot wound to his upper body.

Goodale said that the shot that struck the victim was fired outside of the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle — a woman — struck the ballast in front of the store in the process of trying to get out of the area.

The man, who was a passenger of the vehicle, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, Goodale said. The two others in the car — the driver and a juvenile female passenger — were also taken to a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening as a result of the crash.

Police said in a news release that the man may have been involved in two earlier disputes inside the mall with approximately six men, who are suspects.

Police are still on the scene. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage.